What's New in Building articles from November 2007

What's New in Building archives from November 2007

COMMENT: November 2007.
November 15, 2007... Apparently, if everyone in the world lived like the average UK resident, we would need three planets to support global consumption. Quite how this figure is arrived at, who knows. And therein lies the problem . . . As the theme for our...

SPEAKOUT: Ensure compliance.
November 15, 2007... Paul everall chief executive of local authority building control Many of you may feel that complying with the Building Regulations is over-burdensome. However, most people recognise the need for minimum standards of building work to provide...

NEWS: All in bloom for Marley Plumbing.
November 15, 2007... Marley Plumbing and Drainage has helped plant the seeds of success at Wisley's Bicentenary Glasshouse with its rainwater harvesting system. The new environmental haven at the Royal Horticultural Society Garden not only boasts incredible plants...

NEWS: Glass is a first.
November 15, 2007... In a major first for the UK, Float Glass Industries (FGI) is to manufacture high performance insulating glass for the commercial market using Thermo Plastic Spacer (TPS) warm edge technology. To be launched under the Everseal IG brand name,...

NEWS: Fight for proper project funding.
November 15, 2007... With current complex technical requirements in construction what do architects need to properly resource projects? All practices face pressures on resources. Technical knowledge is unglamorous and often it is difficult finding staff with...

ASK THE ARCHITECTS: NOVEMBER 2007.(Interview)
November 15, 2007... Simon Beames youmeheshe architects WNIB finds out how and why architects choose certain products. This month we spoke to Simon Beames of youmeheshe. What type of sector do you work in most? Every project is different; we are a...

NEWS: SFS charges into Cornwall.
November 15, 2007... The Toll Booths at the Cornish end of the Tamar Bridge, which carries 50,000 cars a day, have been upgraded following the bridge's widening. A canopy structure has been erected over the toll plaza comprising a series of scallop sectioned...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Clear choice.
November 15, 2007... An exclusive range of stunning Italian glass doors is now available in the UK from John Planck. Henry Glass doors are described as the ultimate in dramatic internal openings offering architects and designers complete design versatility. ...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Web success.
November 15, 2007... The definitive guide to Approved Document M of the Building Regulations for the door and hardware industry is proving a hit with both the industry - thousands of copies of the guide have been downloaded from the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF)...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Starstuck SIKA.
November 15, 2007... Sika supplied the specialist bonding and sealing solution for a spectacular mirrored glass structure created by English Architectural Glazing (EAG) at London's world-famous Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

NEWS: Additions for smallest room.
November 15, 2007... Jacuzzi UK has further strengthened the Jacuzzi Bathroom Collection with some exciting new additions. New products include the stunning Aura Corner baths, the Aura Uno non- whirlpool bath, and a new addition to the J-Sha collection. The...

LETTER: Private housing must keep up.(Letter to the editor)
November 15, 2007... With much of new private development built as apartments including renewable energy systems, hitting energy targets is not just a case of plugging in solar panels. Private developers may be behind but it is far from the case that they are...

LETTER: We can't ignore this issue.(Letter to the editor)
November 15, 2007... Scratch the surface of any environmental problem and it is not hard to see that population is a root cause. Politicians see big populations as an indicator of economic strength, but large populations contribute to an environmental footprint...

LETTER: The facts about cement.(Letter to the editor)
November 15, 2007... The UK cement industry is making progress towards reducing its carbon footprint and is pleased with the results of initiatives put in place several years ago to meet its sustainable development objectives. We welcome the opportunity to have...

Stretching the norm on a limited budget.
November 15, 2007... When Carillion and PFI partner HLM Architects were looking for materials for 13 new build primary schools in Barnsley they knew they had to be robust, low maintenance and sustainable + and at King's Oak, Kalzip's Falzinc raised seam roofing met...

ST LAWRENCE COLLEGE, RAMSGATE: Learning to go green.
November 15, 2007... With its impeccable sustainability credentials, St Lawrence College offers a textbook example of how to design a modern school St Lawrence College, Ramsgate is a well-established independent school occupying a 150 acre site in a residential...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: System build speaks volumes.
November 15, 2007... Bruce Meechan checks how far off-site fabrication has progressed since the Egan report was published nearly 10 years ago As someone who spends a good deal of time reporting on the progress of different public and private sector developments...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: We don't need no accommodation.
November 15, 2007... Off-site construction specialist and Portakabin subsidiary Yorkon has handed over a new purpose-designed classroom building to Hayes School in Bromley just three months after start of work on site. Manufactured in York, the two-storey...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Karaoke in a box.
November 15, 2007... The latest project to take advantage of Barker MCT's pioneering approach to construction is Lucky Voice's karaoke pods which opened in Manchester's Tiger Tiger as well as London's Soho venue. The accent is on the ability of the pods to be...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Powerful connections.
November 15, 2007... Marshall-Tufflex introduces a modular power connection system that delivers fast-track installation of complete cabling runs from power source to final outlet Off-site construction is now an established way of delivering all manner of...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Joining forces.
November 15, 2007... Historically, specifiers have opted for one single offsite solution, but MTech reports an emerging trend for collaborative offsite technologies, bringing all the benefits of individual solutions to projects, but with a cost and performance...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Beat skills shortage.
November 15, 2007... With the current wet trade skills shortage predicted to worsen, the UK construction industry has all the warning signs of a looming crisis. What is needed is a different construction method, according to Kingspan Insulated Panels. The...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Design for lecture theatre.
November 15, 2007... Foremans Relocatable Building Systems, supplier of pre-owned modular buildings, has launched a standardised design for a lecture theatre. The move follows the success of a project for the School of Education at the University of East London...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Backing a winner at White City.
November 15, 2007... Over 5000sq m of Ruukki Nordicon wall elements have been installed by building envelope specialist Prater at the #11 million housing redevelopment project at Bourbon Lane, White City, London. The Nordicon wall elements were assembled...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: First Level 6 home shown.
November 15, 2007... Kingspan Off-Site revealed its innovative `Lighthouse' net-zero carbon home in the Big Build Innovation Park area of the Building Research Establishment (BRE) OFFSITE2007 exhibition in June, which is the most advanced house design ever produced...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Dream home launch in UK.
November 15, 2007... Launched into the UK market in March 2006, Platz Haus (UK) has announced the first UK sales of its post and beam and wood panel 'dream homes' precision engineered in Germany. In December 2006, contracts were formally signed for individual homes...

OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION: Three new thrillers.
November 15, 2007... JELD-WEN, one of the UK's leading joinery manufacturers, has released three exciting new catalogues for doors, windows and stairs. Mark Roberts, product manager at JELD-WEN, explains: "This year we have created three dedicated catalogues...

SUSTAINABILITY: Absolute zero.
November 15, 2007... Tracy Edwards takes a tour around the most advanced house design ever produced for mainstream construction Kingspan's net-zero carbon home may look like a designer shed, but the barn-like structure is something pretty special. It's the...

SUSTAINABILITY: Aiming for Zero.
November 15, 2007... Low maintenance, long lasting and environmentally friendly, brick can help developers to meet the zero carbon target Sustainability is the hottest topic around and something all construction industry professionals are having to take into...

SUSTAINABILITY: No drain on resources.
November 15, 2007... Committed to the environmental challenge, Lindab operates to ISO 14001 standards throughout Europe Increasingly in the UK, Councils, Housing Associations, developers, house builders and architects are looking at ways to improve their...

SUSTAINABILITY: Back to the future.
November 15, 2007... Hemp and lime offer high carbon capture and more, says Mike Haynes, product manager at Lhoist UK The construction industry is deemed responsible for around 50% of the UK's carbon emissions, equating to approximately 75 million tonnes. So...

SUSTAINABILITY: Setting out the case for PVC.
November 15, 2007... PUBLISHED BY REHAU is a sustainability brochure designed to dispel the myths surrounding the manufacture, use and recycling of PVC in construction. It sets out independent research findings from bodies including the BRE, the BPF (British...

SUSTAINABILITY: How to achieve a six star rating.
November 15, 2007... LB Plastics has launched a free guide outlining the requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) and explaining how to achieve a maximum six star rating using PVC windows and doors. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SUSTAINABILITY: Eco pumps draw heat from Cornish granite.
November 15, 2007... Eco Heat Pumps are helping to combine luxury living with a green approach to the environment at a beachside development in Cornwall. Building services at Clipper Cove, a development of 12 apartments and two penthouses by St Piran Homes, are...

SUSTAINABILITY: Switched on at awards event.
November 15, 2007... Presented at 100% Design, Building Design magazine's `Building Product Innovation Award' was won by Ivory Egg. The prestigious award was presented to Colin and Liz Price for EnOcean's wireless, battery-less, maintenance-free switch which is...

SUSTAINABILITY: UK and Austria form new panel.
November 15, 2007... Leading UK sawmillers James Jones has teamed up with Austrian timber processors the Binder Holz Group to create Binder-Jones, a specialist company which will supply BBS cross laminated, solid wood panels to the UK construction sector. ...

SUSTAINABILITY: Eco-friendly qualities lead to roof installation.
November 15, 2007... CHOSEN FOR ITS eco-friendly qualities, Onduline has been installed on the roof of the Recycling Centre at Gulliver's Eco Park, recently opened in Milton Keynes. The new park is the first of its kind,where children can discover more about...

SUSTAINABILITY: Versatility in heating.
November 15, 2007... Ideal Stelrad is heating up the solar market by launching an energy efficient and simple to install solar water heating system - Ideal Solar. Specifically introduced to further extend the company's comprehensive product offering, it now...

SUSTAINABILITY: Bring me sunshine.
November 15, 2007... Ariston SOLARcomfort is the complete water heating solution utilising renewable energy for domestic installations. Specifically designed for optimum UK performance, it is available in a range of packages that are easy to understand and fit. ...

SUSTAINABILITY: Dance to the eco beat.
November 15, 2007... A dancefloor that converts the pressure from clubbers' feet in to electricity to light the venue is just one of the radical ideas being explored in the design of Rotterdam's Sustainable Dance Club. The Sustainable Dance Club is a concept of...

HOUSE BUILDING: It's good to talk.
November 15, 2007... How a redundant eyesore of a commercial building was transformed into a contemporary residential development, thanks to the efforts of Galliford Try Telephone House - a contemporary collection of apartments on the High Street in...

HOUSE BUILDING: Clad to be neutral.
November 15, 2007... Over a third of the cost of going carbon neutral hinges on generating and conserving heat, making choice of insulation materials more important than ever, says Almura With government plans for all new-builds to become `carbon neutral' by...

HOUSE BUILDING: Roof tiles are self-cleaning.
November 15, 2007... DECRA has launched dry roof tile with self-cleaning characteristics. A new coating on the company's Elegance tiles contains high levels of Teflon and silicon to create a non-stick, highly water repellent surface with the enhanced...

HOUSE BUILDING: Emergency repair kit for walls.
November 15, 2007... Patchwall 45 from Knauf Drywall is an ideal choice for repairs to plastered and rendered walls - especially for making good after changes to plumbing, electrical, and window installations or other fixtures and fittings. Copyright: CMP...

HOUSE BUILDING: Window manufacturer updates guide.
November 15, 2007... The Specifiers Guide from Spectus Window Systems has been revamped and provides architects, specifiers, building contractors, fabricators and installers details on regulations, technical performance and design. Copyright: CMP Information...

HOUSE BUILDING: Reproduction stone cills added.
November 15, 2007... ADDED TO STORMING portfolio is a range of reproduction stone cills. Made from grp using STORMING own closed mould resin transfer technology, the cills are lightweight yet extremely robust and durable. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

HOUSE BUILDING: Whole house ventilation.
November 15, 2007... PASSIVENT HAS developed a ductless `whole house' Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) System, to effectively ventilate the home, cut condensation and minimise energy consumption. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

HOUSE BUILDING: Providing superior vapour resistance.
November 15, 2007... SPECIFIED FOR 72 new homes at Wood Grove, Motherwell, by Miller Homes with Oregon Timber Frame Engineering, Glidevale Protect TF200 Thermo provides better vapour resistance than that required by TRADA and NHBC, and simultaneously improves...

HOUSE BUILDING: Brick choice made simple.
November 15, 2007... Contractors know only too well the crucial importance of brick selection to the successful completion of a project. They also know that because time is money, sourcing the right brick for the job can be time-consuming, labour-intensive and...

HOUSE BUILDING: Plasterers can walk tall.
November 15, 2007... Forticrete has developed a new Stepoc dry-build, high-strength wall system for basements. The new Stepoc 325 basement block is 325mm wide, enabling the fast construction of single skin basement retaining walls up to 4 meters high which can...

HOUSE BUILDING: Quality and sustainability.
November 15, 2007... Building high quality, affordable and sustainable homes has never been more crucial in order to meet the social housing requirement of between 17,000 and 23,000 new homes each year. To facilitate the process of approval and funding for...

FIRE SAFETY: Time to clamp that white van man.
November 15, 2007... The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) became law in October 2006. This has changed the way that the fire safety of buildings is managed and enforced. From the perspective of a building owner, the major transparent change under the new...

FIRE SAFETY: Raise a Glass to fire resistance.
November 15, 2007... By Mike Wood, Global Consultant, Fire Protection Glass, Pilkington Group Transparent design requires special attention to fire resistance. Fire- resistant glass has been developed to look and function just as any other glass product. But...

FIRE SAFETY: Testing times for render maker.
November 15, 2007... Dryvit has embarked on a programme of fire testing to become one of the first external insulated render manufacturers to achieve BR135 classification to British Standards for its EIFS range. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

FIRE SAFETY: Technical briefing.
November 15, 2007... A technical briefing by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) on the fire performance of sandwich panel systems states that where these systems have been implicated in fire spread, the fire has often started in high-risk areas such as...

FIRE SAFETY: Paperless gypsum boards.
November 15, 2007... British Gypsum's Glasroc paperless gypsum boards have received new certification from the British Board of Agrement (BBA). Glasroc FireCase s steel encasement board and Glasroc MultiBoard, a multi-purpose lining board, are manufactured by a...

FIRE SAFETY: Thirty years of insulation.
November 15, 2007... The A Proctor Group Ltd. has been providing a range of insulation materials to UK Construction Industry for over 30 years. Working in partnership with ASPEN AEROGELS INC, Proctors are now able to offer a range of super-insulation materials....

FIRE SAFETY: Update for door safety.
November 15, 2007... Royde & Tucker has updated its SmoClo fire door safety device brochure. Designed to provide an aesthetically pleasing and user friendly solution for fire doors, SmoClo only closes the door in the event of fire when activated by a smoke...

FIRE SAFETY: Irish eyes are fire protected.
November 15, 2007... Vicaima fire doors have been installed throughout the historic Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin which was officially re-opened on 12th March. One of Ireland's largest and most famous hotels has recently undergone an extensive eighteen month...

CEILINGS: Designed to meet demand.
November 15, 2007... With the design of schools changing rapidly to meet various new construction and educational demands, acoustic, lighting and service standards are being met by new ceiling solutions. In addition to suspended acoustic ceiling systems,...

FLOORINGS: Rubbery jubbly.
November 15, 2007... With its award winning products and eco friendly credentials, French flooring maker Dalsouple ticks all the right boxes Rubber flooring specialist Dalsouple has reason to celebrate, having won the Sustainable Building Solution Award...

FLOORINGS: Attenborough is back to nature.
November 15, 2007... Attenborough Nature Reserve, an eco-friendly building in Nottingham, is using Howe Green's Visedge floor covers to gain access to its mechanical systems. Designed by Groundworks Architects LLP, the flagship building uses sustainable energy...

FLOORINGS: Damp problem solved.
November 15, 2007... F. Ball and Co Stopgap 900 DPM-Prep special purpose underlayment has recently been used to help quickly overcome the problem of damp floors at the Seafield Hospital in Buckie, Aberdeenshire. Prior to the application of F75, the subfloor had...

FLOORINGS: Making it even easier to shop.
November 15, 2007... Kahrs Oak Siena wood flooring is being installed throughout John Lewis' flagship store in Oxford Street, London. The installation, by Shedon Flooring, forms part of a #61.5 million renovation programme. Other works include re-siting of...

FLOORINGS: Versatility in veneers.
November 15, 2007... Delivering the beauty and warmth of natural wood combined with the practicality of laminate, Formica Veneer is the brand new premium wood surfacing collection from Formica Limited. Replacing the existing veneers range it features fresh and new...

FLOORINGS: Simple yet effective.
November 15, 2007... Centrica has solved a major roof safety problem with Crossgrip slip resistant matting. On the flat roofs of two adjacent office blocks, the original black membrane walkways were failing. They not only became very soggy when wet but...

FLOORINGS: Single sided entrance.
November 15, 2007... Bonar Floors, the UK's leading supplier of contract flooring products, has updated its brand leading Nuway entrance systems range with the introduction of a single sided entrance product. The new entrance mat offers unique innovative...